1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for securing a communications and/or an automation device to a top hat rail.
2. Description of the Related Art
Industrial automation systems that include a plurality of communications and automation devices serve to monitor, control and regulate technical processes, in particular in the area of production, process and building automation. Communications and/or automation devices include, for example, stored programmable control, decentralized peripheral modules, contactors, communications modules, switches and routers. Furthermore, industrial automation systems enable operation of control devices, sensors, machines and industrial plants that are to be effected as autonomously as possible and independently of human intervention. Due to the continuously increasing importance of information technology for automation systems that include numerous interconnected control or regulating units, methods for the reliable provision of functions distributed via an automation system for the provision of monitoring, control and regulating functions are becoming more and more important.
Frequently, communications or automation devices and electric operating devices, such as relays, impulse switches, timer switches, circuit breakers and terminal blocks, are secured on top hat rails, in particular in distributor boxes, switching cabinets or terminal boxes. A top hat rail is usually based on a profile rail produced from metal, upon which devices to be secured can be pushed from the side or plugged in from the front and locked. Numerous top hat rail types are standardized, for example, corresponding to DIN EN 60715.
DE 197 09 815 A1 discloses a device that is securable to a carrier rail which, on its device base, comprises a retaining slide that is loaded by a return spring and is movable between a retaining position and a release position. Multiple such devices can be strung together on a carrier rail. Furthermore, at least one retaining slide engages with a release lever that is operable from a device top surface. The release lever comprises a working arm with a force component in a working plane of the retaining slide in the release direction.
EP 2 677 846 A1 describes a device that is securable on a top hat rail and comprises a housing, a housing groove for receiving a top hat rail, a housing recess for receiving a slide and a spring-loaded slide as a securing element. The slide is movable into a locking position, at which an engagement portion of the slide projects out of the housing recess into the housing groove, and into a storage position in which an actuating portion of the slide is pushed into the housing recess on a side opposite the engagement portion. In the locking position, the actuating portion of the slide projects out of the housing recess beyond the housing. In the storage position, the engagement portion of the slide projects even further into the housing groove compared to the locking position and, in the locking position, can be moved into engagement with a corresponding end portion of a top hat rail. The actuating portion of the slide can only be inserted into the housing recess when the device is not plugged into the top hat rail.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,674,129 B1 relates to a securing device for a top hat rail that includes a leaf spring arranged on a basic element and a spring-loaded slide that includes a first and a second positioning element and is displaceable in relation to the basic element. In this case, the leaf spring as latching element is movable from the second positioning element to the first positioning element and is lockable there such that the securing device is not easily releasable from the top hat rail.
WO 2008/068312 A1 discloses a device for securing an electronic module on a carrier rail. The device comprises a movable lug which, together with a fixed lug provided on a rear side of a housing of the electronic module, encompasses a profile of the carrier rail in the mounted state. The movable lug is realized as a clamping profile of a slide such that the device is mountable on the rear side of the electronic module via plugging mechanical anchorages in recesses of the housing provided for this purpose. In addition, the device comprises a spring mechanism that is provided for support on the housing of the electronic module and via which the slide is acted upon with a force. A force clamping the device on the carrier rail results from this force. Furthermore, an end of the slide located opposite the movable lug projects beyond the housing of the electronic module for the manual displacement of the movable lug.
Under rough surrounding conditions, such as under the effects of impacts or vibrations, communications network components, in particular, are not secured well to TS-35 top hat rails using the above securing devices. For this reason, devices to be secured are screwed tightly to a top hat rail depending on the surrounding conditions. This means additional assembly expenditure.